SAFETY FIRST

4 years ago

School Bans 66 Kids Over Measles Fears

A California high school sent home 66 students Wednesday who hadn’t received measles vaccinations, banning them from class for the next two weeks. Palm Desert High School will not let any student who is not fully immunized or hasn’t been medically cleared return until Feb. 9, after receiving notice that a student may have been infected with measles, said Mary Perry, spokeswoman for the Desert Sands Unified School District. Though the measles case was not confirmed, the student was medically cleared by the Riverside County Public Health Department and returned to school. The decision is aimed at protecting other students and staff from exposure to measles, Perry said. Across the state, schools are attempting to minimize exposure after several people were exposed to the virus while visiting Disneyland between Dec. 17 and 20. Measles symptons include coughing, red eyes, a full-body rash, runny nose, and fevers as high as 105. There are at least 95 confirmed cases in seven states and Mexico.